Waverley

Waverley's population increased by about 5,900 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 120,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Waverley increased by 5.1%, from just under 116,000 to 122,000.

The addition of just over 5,900 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Waverley was home to, on average, 2.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Waverley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Waverley increased by two years, from 40 to 42 years.

This area had a higher average age than the South East and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 3,500 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 12.0% of people in Waverley are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Waverley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Waverley that rented privately increased from 8.1% to 11.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12.3%) households lived in social housing, compared with 12.9% in 2001. The percentage of Waverley households that owned their home decreased from 75.9% to 73.7%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10.2% in 2001 to 16.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Waverley increased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Waverley, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Waverley saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

In 2011, just over one in seven (14.5%) people aged 16 to 74 in Waverley said they were self-employed, compared with 12.3% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 53.3% to 52.2%.

Across the region, only Slough (from 6.2% to 8.9%) and Brighton and Hove (from 10.4% to 12.9%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of self-employed people.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 9.5% to 10.9%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Relationships in Waverley

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in Waverley, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the South East, except Wokingham and Hart.

Across the South East, the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 28.5% to 32.1% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Guildford (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Waverley) increased from 32.8% to 35.2%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Waverley

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Waverley was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.9 points.

In 2011, 25.3% of respondents in Waverley gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 15.4% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 16.6% to 27.9%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Waverley, 65.2% said they were Christian, compared with 76.3% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 6.7% to 7.6%.

In Waverley, 7.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.7% in 2001. In South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

the population without a religion in Waverley increased by 9.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Waverley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Waverley

The percentage of Waverley residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.0%, while the percentage of Waverley residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.8% to 7.4%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 90.8% in 2001 to 90.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 89.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Waverley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.9% to 3.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (86.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 74.5% in 2001. The percentage of Waverley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19.6% to 10.5%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Waverley decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Waverley, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with children

The percentage of households with children increased in Waverley, while falling in East Hampshire (one of the most statistically similar areas to Waverley based on ONS area classifications).

In Waverley, the proportion went up from 27.6% in 2001 to 29.3% in 2011, while across England it fell from 30.9% to 29.4%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 29.2%.

The proportion of households without children in Waverley fell from 63.4% to 62.1%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.0% to 8.6%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Waverley

In 2011, 96.0% of Waverley residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 97.4% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 95.3% to 90.9%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.9% of people in Waverley said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 1.2% in 2001. About 1.3% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.8% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.4%.

the population from one of the White ethnic groups in Waverley decreased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Waverley by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Waverley working less than 16 hours increased from 2.6% to 3.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in seven (13.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 16.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Waverley, which comprised a single parent, increased from 6.4% to 6.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (40.9%) households had a married couple, compared with 41.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Waverley, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.2% to 8.2%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.0% in 2001 to 9.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Waverley residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.7% to 0.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, 1.5% of reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Waverley remained close to 0.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Waverley by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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